Dominguez Canyon Wilderness
The Dominguez Canyon Wilderness displays an array of ecosystems, ranging from upper Sonoran piñon-juniper desert along the Gunnison River, to Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine to aspen at higher elevations. Dominguez Canyon Wilderness consists of two major canyon systems, Big Dominguez and Little Dominguez. The canyons drain the northeastern corner of the Uncompahgre Plateau. Little Dominguez is the longer of the two at approximately 12 miles in length. It joins the larger Big Dominguez Canyon a little over a mile before their confluence with the Gunnison River.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 66,280 acres |
| Designated | 2009, by Congress |
| Center point | 38.75° N, 108.39° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 24) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.
Trails
1 named Forest Service trail enters this wilderness, 4 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Bad Land | 4 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedMain Mesa Piles Rx
35 mi from the center point · 366 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 10.4 miDelta County Bank Building ↗Delta, CO
- 10.5 mi
- 10.5 miEgyptian Theater ↗Delta, CO
- 10.5 mi
- 10.6 mi
- 10.9 miGarnethurst ↗Delta, CO
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Colorado
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Dominguez Canyon Wilderness?
66,280 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Dominguez Canyon Wilderness?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Dominguez Canyon Wilderness in?
Colorado.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Dominguez Canyon Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2009.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to Dominguez Canyon Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 38.754° N, 108.395° W. Colorado National Monument is 19 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Dominguez Canyon Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Main Mesa Piles Rx at 35 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Dominguez Canyon Wilderness?
Colorado National Monument (19 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Dominguez Canyon Wilderness?
The National Register has 6 listings within 15 miles, including Delta County Bank Building and Delta Municipal Light & Power Plant.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.